A Study Of Zeng Guofan's Science And Technology Thought

Zeng Guofan was an important personage during the transitional period of the modern times in our traditional country. Living in a changing time, Zeng was not only an epitome of the traditional thoughts, but a pioneer of the modern thoughts as well. Up to now, of all the researches of Zeng Guofan's thoughts, those of his science and technology thoughts are quite weak, though they are extremely important. Based on a mass reading of Zeng's books and a deep study of his life, the present thesis, for the first time, systematically discusses the historical and social conditions in which Zeng's science and technology thoughts developed, from the angle of the social transition, the conflict of China and the West, the military practice and the personal identity; conducts a deep analysis of the internal structure of Zeng's thoughts on the levels of implements, technology and science. Finally, the thesis generalizes for the first time the features of Zeng's science and technology thoughts as the openness, compositeness and systemicness. Basing on the study of Zeng's science and technology thoughts, the thesis proposes an original understanding of the historical definition of Zeng Guofan: Zeng is a forerunner in the modern times with scientific value, and a pioneer with thoughts of military technology in modern China.